Book Reflection: Restoring the Colorado River Ecosystems

Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems: A troubled sense of Immensity    By: Robert W. Alder

This book I feel was the most important book we read for our trip out West. This book goes through all the projects that have occurred along the Colorado River (dams and all) and how these projects have affected the wildlife and vegetation of the river. As a class we followed the path of the River through the West.

            In Colorado, we spoke with the Western Resource Advocates who told us about the infamous Colorado Water Compact that divides the water of the river into the Upper and Lower Basin States. While in Rocky Mountain National Park, we stopped and saw where the Colorado River began.

In Utah, we camped next to Flaming Gorge Dam’s reservoir. We also camped next to the Colorado River when we were near Moab, Utah.

In Arizona, we hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and saw how the river had carved out the immense canyon. We visited the controversial Glen Canyon Dam and camped next to the Dam’s reservoir, Lake Powell. We also saw how the river cut out the picturesque Horseshoe Bend.

In Nevada, we witnessed Las Vegas and how the damming of the Colorado has made that city possible. On the border of Nevada and California we drove by Hoover Dam and took picture of its reservoir, lake Mead.

 In California, we saw the irrigation canals that carry Colorado River water to cities and farmland. I did research on the various state and federal projects in California and how they distribute the River’s water to the many thirsty Californians.